Can't reach California Paid Family Leave? Claimyr connects you to a live EDD agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the EDD
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the EDD drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
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idk if this helps, but I had to send in additional medical documentation when I extended my leave. Did they ask you for anything like that?
OMG yes, I went through this exact same thing! Only got paid for 3 days out of my 6-week leave initially. It turned out there was a glitch in their system that wasn't processing the full claim period correctly. What worked for me was emailing them with my claim number and a detailed timeline of what should have been covered. I sent it to the generic PFL email address but also CC'd their customer service manager (you can find the email on their website). Got a response within 48 hours and they fixed it. Also, for extending your leave - make sure you submit the extension request at least 2 weeks before your current leave ends if possible. They're super slow with processing extensions and you don't want a gap in coverage. Hope this helps! The system is frustrating but don't give up 💪
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Anyone else think its ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get basic support after having a baby? The whole system needs an overhaul tbh
Preach! 🙌 It's like they want to make it as difficult as possible
for real. other countries have it so much better. we're supposed to be a first world country smh
Oh no, I feel your pain! I made the exact same mistake after my delivery. The good news is it's totally fixable, just annoying to deal with. Here's what worked for me: Call the PFL line first thing in the morning (8am sharp) - they're usually less busy then. Tell them you need to withdraw your claim due to filing error. They'll give you a confirmation number - write it down! Then immediately call the SDI line and explain the situation. The whole process took me about 3 weeks total, but I didn't lose any benefits. Just make sure you have all your medical documentation ready when you refile. Your doctor should have given you the right forms for disability, not family leave. Hang in there mama, you'll get through this! ❤️
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Thank you so much for this amazing checklist! I'm going to start getting organized right away. It's so helpful to hear from someone who's been through it multiple times!
Hey Kai! I just went through this whole process last year and wanted to add a few more tips that really helped me: 1. When you create your SDI Online account, make sure to use the same email address consistently - I made the mistake of using different emails and it caused delays in getting notifications. 2. If you're planning to breastfeed, you might be eligible for additional disability time beyond the standard 6-8 weeks if you have complications. My doctor was able to extend my SDI for breastfeeding-related issues. 3. Keep copies of EVERYTHING - your paystubs, doctor's notes, all EDD correspondence. I had to provide documentation multiple times during my claims. 4. The weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your highest quarter earnings in your base period (usually 5-17 months before your claim). So if you got a raise recently, it might not be reflected in your benefit amount. 5. You can actually start collecting PFL baby bonding leave while your partner is also on their own PFL claim - both parents can take it simultaneously if needed. Hope this helps ease some of your stress! The whole process seems overwhelming at first but you've got this! 💪
This is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time to share all these detailed tips. The email consistency point is especially good to know - I definitely would have made that mistake. And I had no idea that both parents could take PFL at the same time, that's really valuable information for planning with my partner. I'm feeling much more confident about navigating this process now with all the advice from everyone here. Really appreciate this supportive community!
Thanks for mentioning the breastfeeding complications extension! I hadn't heard about that before. @Kai Santiago, do you know if that's something you have to request specifically from your doctor, or do they automatically consider it? Also really glad to hear both parents can take PFL simultaneously - my husband was worried he'd have to wait until I was completely done with my leave before he could take any time off.
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my cousin said she just logged into her benefits account and filled everything out there first and then took the dr form in. might be easier that way??
Yes, that's the correct process. Start by filing your claim online through SDI Online, then the system will give you a receipt number that your doctor needs when they complete their portion. Some doctor's offices do this electronically, while others use the paper form. But you definitely need to start the claim first before seeing your doctor.
I'm so sorry you're going through this - postpartum depression is already hard enough without having to navigate EDD's confusing system! I just want to emphasize what others have said: make sure you file your SDI claim online FIRST at edd.ca.gov before your doctor appointment tomorrow. When you complete the online application, you'll get a confirmation number that your doctor will need to reference on the DE2501 form. Also, if your doctor's office claims they "don't do disability forms," you can print the DE2501 yourself and bring it to them - it's literally part of their job to complete medical certifications for their patients. Don't let them brush you off! You deserve support during this difficult time. 💙
Ethan Moore
That's awesome that you got it filed! For anyone else reading this thread later - I just want to emphasize how important it is to file that PFL claim early. I waited until the last week of my SDI and ended up with a 2-week gap in payments because of processing delays. The stress of no income with a newborn is not something you want to deal with! Also, keep all your documentation organized - birth certificate, doctor's notes, everything. Makes the whole process smoother.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
Just wanted to add - if you're still having trouble with the SDI Online portal, you can also file the PFL claim by mail or fax. Sometimes the online system gets overwhelmed, especially during busy periods. The DE2508 form is available as a PDF on the EDD website. I had to do this route when my account kept locking me out. It took a bit longer to process (about 10 days vs 5 days online) but it worked! Also make sure to send it certified mail so you have proof they received it. The mailing address is on the form itself. Good luck with your new baby!
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Emily Parker
•This is such great advice about the mail/fax option! I didn't even know that was possible. As someone new to all this, it's really reassuring to know there are backup options when the online system isn't cooperating. The certified mail tip is especially helpful - I would have never thought of that but it makes total sense to have proof of delivery. Thanks for sharing your experience! It's so helpful to hear from people who have actually been through this process.
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